Rooftop Saboteurs (O:FB)
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Galaxy at War Main Page: The Ion Cannon SETUP: After the heroes have seized control of the Ion Cannon control center, they have little time to enjoy their victory. When the heroes initiate the Ion Cannon's firing sequence, the Separatists immediately realize that the station has fallen into enemy hands. Confederacy Command on Tirahnn dispatches a squad of BX-Series Droid Commandos, with an OOM-Series Battle Droid acting as a spotter, to destroy the Ion Cannon before the heroes can do any more damage. Read-Aloud Text The heroes are alerted by the computer systems inside the control center when the Droid Commandos arrive. The commandos begins setting explosives and disrupting the flow of power to the Ion Cannon, which triggers alarms in the control center. When this happens, read the following aloud: Alarm klaxons sound in the Ion Cannon control center, and the screens of computer banks light up with intruder alerts. When examined, the displays show that several Droids have begun disrupting the flow of power to the Ion Cannon and placing explosives on the roof. One of the Droids notices the security cameras and orders the others to fire. The displays in the command center go blank, but alarms continue to sound. Conclusion If the Droids manage to defeat the heroes of run them off, then they do not detonate the explosives and instead reclaim the Ion Cannon for the Confederacy. If the Droids manage to set all four of their explosives, they blow up the Ion Cannon. The heroes have a chance to escape- the explosions take several rounds to travel down the power column to the power core- but several blocks of the city are destroyed in the explosion. If the heroes manage to defeat all of the Battle Droids before all four explosives are placed, the heroes retain control of the Planetary Ion Cannon and Republic reinforcements can be sent to hold the control center while the heroes perform other tasks. Encounter Setup The Rooftop Saboteurs encounter has the following setup: * 4 BX-Series Droid Commandos * 1 Commander OOM-Series Battle Droid Tactics The Droid Commandos are setting Explosive Charges around the Ion Cannon when the heroes arrive. This takes each Droid a Full-Round Action, and each one makes an Untrained Mechanics check at +7 (Needing to hit a DC of 10) to set the explosive. The Droid Commandos must set one explosive at each corner of the Ion Cannon's space to trigger the chain reaction that will completely destroy the Planetary Ion Cannon. If the heroes arrive and begin shooting, the Droid Commandos stop setting explosives and start attacking the heroes, using the Cover Fire Talent to help protect one ally within 6 squares while it continues to set explosives. The OOM-Series Battle Droid is present simply to act as a spotter and coordinator for the Droid Commandos, although they are competent enough not to need it. The OOM-Series Battle Droid keeps watch until combat begins, at which point it either attacks the heroes directly or uses Coordinated Attack to guarantee that it can aid its allies on attack rolls. Features of the Area The roof of the Ion Cannon facility features the Ion Cannon itself, as well as several other objects of importance. The stairwell from the control center reaches the roof at the southeast corner of the roof; a set of stairs leads up to a walkway that then connects to this platform. Characters can move freely under the walkway, but the stairs are solid. A small safety area sits on the southwest corner of the roof. This is a three-walled transparisteel booth, where observers can stand to watch the cannon fire without suffering the negative effects of being close to the weapon when it discharges. The transparisteel walls of this booth have DR 5, 30 Hit Points, Damage Threshold 35, a Strength DC of 40, and a Break DC of 30. Otherwise, several vents and crates provide small amounts of Cover on the roof.